De-winterizing - Montana Owners Club

Mac · 02-21-2007, 01:01 PM

Well hopefully it's finally getting to the point around here when I can start thinking about breathing a little life into the Monty. Problem is I made an error last fall and I need a reminder as to how to fix it, if I even can. For the first time ever I winterized the city inlet valve but I neglected to open a faucet so the check valve "broke loose". I think someone said I MIGHT be able to re-seat but that was several months and several feet of snow ago.

Perhaps someone can make a suggestion, I hate to take it in to have such a "little thing" fixed. I have never winterized a city inlet before and never had any problems but read on here it should be considered so I did it and ended up causing problems. I doubt I'd do it again, never having issues in the past, I guess sometimes a little knowledge is a dangerous thing!

Help with any suggestions, or just drop by and fix it for me, either one.

mac

BillyRay · 02-21-2007, 01:55 PM

I did the same thing, but had the dealer fix it as it was already there for some other work. The next time, just make sure the pressure is off 1st. As far as repairing it, I'm not sure as I didn't fix it myself.

bsmeaton · 02-21-2007, 02:00 PM

MAC - It's toooo early!! Snow Friday. You still have another three or four months to go

.

I think yours is in the back left? I believe there is an interior panel back there you can remove to get access. Easy to replace once you're there. Otherwise, you should be able to pull the outside panel off, replace it, then reinstall.

Mac · 02-21-2007, 02:48 PM

Brad,

I wasn't going to de-winterize the whole thing, I just was wondering what to do with that darned check valve. I really kick myself for even doing it, in 20+ years I never had the city inlet freeze on any camper or trailer so I should have just winterized like always. I just want to get it fixed so once the spring does get here I can FINALLY get that trailer out, with my brand new TV.

And you're right, it's back left but I can't remember any access panel. I'll have to take a drive to storage this weekend. Once again though, Saturday, high of 34 and snow...... UGH!

mac

Clyde n Deb · 02-21-2007, 03:09 PM

Mac, were your ears burning? I was trying to find that old thread from last fall just this morning! I was going to PM you but had to get on the streets with my real job and forgot. Must be some sort of deja vu....same Monty, same mistake, same deal.....had never messed with it in 12+ years with the MH or the Monty B4 last fall. Tried to buy a new valve at CW and couldn't find what I wanted. Guy told me we could have possibly just diverted an "O" ring in the thing and if we took it apart, could slip things back into place. Don't know about that. Don't think we have the inside access panel Brad is referring to, but he used to have the same rig. It would have to be in that left rear corner behind the recliner chair. I think we have to pull that panel off on the outside that surrounds the water fill, then reseal it when we out it back together. I hope to stop up at Del Camino Saturday and find someone to help me. Glad you brought it up again, because I'm getting the itch bad too. Fortunately my unit is in inside storage about 60 miles from here. Couldn't get it out just yet, but soon I hope!
Clyde

Mac · 02-21-2007, 03:19 PM

Clyde,

WOW, that is pretty strange. Let me know what Del Camino tells you, maybe we can get a 2 fer 1!

Seriously, I can't believe I did it, never had a freeze before but give me a little knowledge and I can screw up anything.

mac

JH Sechelt · 02-21-2007, 03:25 PM

Mac,

I Had a cracked water line last winter, from the city hook up to the front of the trailer.
I just opened the little door on the water hook up, undid the 6 or 8 screws, and pulled the whole filler
compartment out 6".
The filler hose to the tank is put together with a gear clamp, and the city water line is hooked up with
a little threaded coupling, like the rest of the fittings in the trailer.
Once you undo these, the whole compartment comes away from the trailer.
You might be able to reset the check valve or replace it.
Once you are done, put it all back together. install the compartment and reseal it.
It was relatively easy to do. You may have to cut the silicone away when first taking the
Water compartment out.

J&D

Clyde n Deb · 02-23-2007, 03:37 PM

MAC/Ron: I will be in touch....................I have news.

Mac · 02-23-2007, 04:26 PM

Whooo hooo, I need news! Now if that gets taken care of and you can make the snow miss us, I'm ready to get that bad boy out and start getting it cleaned up for the summer!

Can't wait!

mac

Sweetfire · 02-23-2007, 04:38 PM

What do you guys mean by a "check valve"? Is it a valve that keeps water from flowing into the fresh water tank from the city water line? And if it broke loose how much pressure were you running on the compressor when it did? If the city water coming in at 35-40 psi doen't blow it out why would air at the same pressure do it? The reason I ask is I blew mine out a couple weeks ago after returning from AZ. and I'm wondering if I screwed mine up too.

Mac · 02-23-2007, 04:48 PM

Sweetfire,

No when you winterize you can bring the pink stuff out to the city inlet by pushing in on the check valve where you hook up the city water. The key is, which I, of course, missed, is you need to have one of the faucets open in the Monty to relief some of the pressure. Otherwise the "reverse pressure" will unseat the check valve which is there to keep the city water from flowing in both directions. That's how I understand it, but I probably did a lousy job of explaining it.

mac

Clyde n Deb · 02-23-2007, 05:05 PM

The problem in my case was, I pushed in on the valve while I had pressure applied in the system via the water pump being on. My dealer service manager advises I probably (that's in probability) didn't break anything, but need to "reset" the valve. If when I fill water the first time, start the pump, and get water backing out the city water fill, then I have some special maintenance to do.

On our model, (2955RL), we need to take the panel off on the left rear O/S to get to the valve. It is most likely just out of place with some of its components, which should be readily visible. This could or not include an "O" ring being out of place. Putting these components back in a logical place should fix it. Replacing the outside panel will require re-siliconing the outer edges of that panel.

Mac · 02-23-2007, 05:15 PM

Clyde,

So right now we're just "crossing our collective fingers"??? If we had money, like Brad, we'd just trade it in on a new unit!

mac

Clyde n Deb · 02-24-2007, 02:26 AM

Ron: That's a pretty accurate assessment all the way around. I would buy a new valve beforehand just for insurance, but don't know exactly what we need. I looked at CW and didn't see anything that I thought was correct. I'm going to Loveland today, but Del Camino service and parts is closed on Saturdays yet.
Checked on the Monty yesterday, I am fortunate to have a friend who lets me store it inside about 60 miles outside Denver. I had the keys to the building, then forgot the Monty key, so couldn't get into it anyway. Halfsheimers.

bsmeaton · 02-24-2007, 06:12 AM

Did ya get that fixed yet MAC? Or did the 5" of new snow keep ya inside like me?

I actually never messed with that for winterizing. I was going to after I learned about it, but then MAC's snafu made me change my mind. After this is all done and said, is the consensus that it still needs to be done?

Mac · 02-24-2007, 07:48 AM

Brad,

No it kept me home, didn't want to get muddy, etc. It actually turned out to be a pretty decent day, maybe tomorrow.

If you're asking for my opinion I'd NEVER winterize the city inlet again. I've never had an issue in 25 years and several different campers and I've never winterized that before. Of course we don't normally get that harsh of winters either, maybe it depends on where you live in the country. As for me, I'll not do it again.

mac

Sweetfire · 02-24-2007, 08:08 AM

I made a fitting using;

1. Male garden hose fitting to 1/2" Female pipe.
2. 1/2" Male pipe to 1/4" Female pipe reducer.
3. airhose fitting with Male threads.

I hook this up to the city water inlet and use it to blow out the system with about 35-40 psi after draining the hot water heater, throwing the heater bypass valve and openning the the various faucets, low point drains and making sure the fresh water and holding tanks are empty. This seems to do the job, takes about 1/2 hour and only needs enough anti-freeze for the "P" traps and toilet. Plus I can do it on the road with my compressor and a 1 1/16" socket to remove the waterheater anoide.

bsmeaton · 02-24-2007, 09:01 AM

OK MAC - I'm with you, not messin with it either. Just do what I am used to and hope for the best.

Dennis, I agree air is a nice alternative, but probably no less or more complicated than the pink cocktail. I've used the antifreeze on the road as well. Always keep 3 bottles with me to get the job done in the winter before climbing the Rocky Mountains home.

New to us on this unit is the Wash machine. I think the pink stuff is a little more friendly to use for this than air.

Brad

Clyde n Deb · 02-24-2007, 10:25 AM

Enjoy your snow u 2. Got maybe 1/2" here in H. Ranch, went over towards Santa Fe and not a flake had fallen..................

bsmeaton · 02-24-2007, 10:33 AM

Actually you caught me exaggerating Clyde - I was just going by the forecast. Probably was closer to 1/2" now that I look outside. Can't be too different than yours, as we're only a mile or so apart.

Problem is the storage lot turns into a mudball. Going to check this afternoon.

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